President Isaac Herzog warned Thursday that escalating political discourse in Israel risks tearing the country apart.
Speaking at a higher education conference in Herzliya, Herzog denounced “the derogatory and humiliating treatment of hostage families.” Families of hostages held in Gaza have been threatened online, verbally harassed and pushed by police during protests.
The president also deplored “the accusations made against the leader [de l’agence de sécurité intérieure] of the Shin Bet and the IDF chief of staff of treason and attempted coup d’état, against the attorney general, whom they accuse of being an enemy of the state who is trying to kill us, and against those who threaten to shoot all day long.”
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On Sunday, government members attacked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for what they called her leniency toward anti-government protesters. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi called for her to be fired, while citing Jewish law regarding attempted murder to justify his position.
Herzog also blamed anti-government protesters for firing flares at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home and accusing him of treason.
“The physical and verbal violence – against the attorney general, the head of the Shin Bet, the IDF chief of staff, the prime minister – is simply horrible,” Herzog lamented.
“What the hell is happening to us?” “, he asked.
“Does this make any sense?” Haven’t we suffered enough? Have we not already understood that this is detrimental to the security of the country? »
“Don’t we understand that this is how you break a country? “, he continued, describing these incidents as “pure madness” which must be put an end to.
“There are those who sacrifice themselves for the country and who pay with their lives every day,” Herzog recalled.
“And there are those who are destroying the country, and I pledge to fight them with all my strength. »
“I warn you: you are destroying the country. This madness must be stopped immediately. »
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